Malaysia Issues

The recent news of the terrible bus accident at Genting Sempah has engulfed the people with grief. When investigation were carried out about the cause, situation and effects of the unfortunate incident something even more shocking was discovered; the bus driver never possessed a driving license. This was proved by the statement from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha where he said that the bus driver was only issued a learner’s license and father that could not get his hands on a valid license when he was blacklisted years ago in 1997 because of his similar reckless driving incidents.

The Minister was exasperated at the carelessness of the bus operator who chose to keep this driver without investigating his past or being responsible enough to check his driving credentials. According to him not only should the driver be tried in court, but his employer needs to take full responsibility of the accident. The disturbing incident reached a death toll of 7 and injured 39 people. Kong has been assertive enough in following this accident by ordering the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to carry out a full investigation about the past records of the driver as well as the bus operator and to cohesively work with related authorities. Kong stressed that he wants strict action to be taken against the bus driver and operator if the charges prove against them. Investigations till now have shown that the bus actually was operated by a charter bus owner from Kuala Lampur. This has intrigued JPJ who is following closely on the information of why the bus was being operated as a tour bus when it was originally a charter bus. The bus operator had been clever enough to paint the bus like a tour travel which makes things seem fishy and a deliberate act on the part of the owner and driver to run this business. Investigations may reveal a partnership of some sort as both the accused seem to have shady history.

Selangor Traffic and Public Order chief Supt Che Husin Omer reported that the driver misinformed the police by showing the license as lost. When a counter check was done with JPJ things revealed otherwise. The driver is now being treated for a leg fracture at a Kuala Lampur Hospital. He has been taken under detention officially. The investigation will be done under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987. This Act pertains to rules and regulations about road transport and driving and the Section 41 deals with issues orders for reckless driving that leads to death.

Supt Che Husin has been vigilant enough to get hold of the bus’ black box which contains important information about the travelling history of the bus. The driver’s records have been taken into possession and the police is now on the tail of the bus operator.

The bus had a group of 4B Youth Movement, Kampong Siong, Kedah which was going to Kuala Lampur from Genting Highlands. The father of Mohd. Ridzuan, who was killed in the accident, wanted the responsible individuals to be brought to justice.

This news report is about the scarcity of heart doctors and surgeons for children in Malaysia. According to the report the health minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that every year, the children requiring heart surgery ranges from 2000 to 3000 but Malaysian hospitals, both private and public combined, can not fulfill the requirement because of the shortage of heart surgeons in Malaysia and only around 1200 children are lucky enough to undergo heart surgeries each year. Mr. Seri says that there are 180 cardiologists and 58 cardiothoracic surgeons in total currently serving in Malaysia, out of which only 26 cardiologists and 14 cardiothoracic surgeons are serving in the hospitals governed by the ministry. He further said that rising costs of heart surgeries combined with this reason makes the treatment for heart diseases unaffordable for a large number of populations and just this is the sole cause for Malaysian government to send some children from poor families to Naraya Hrudayalaya Hospital in Bangalore, India.

There has been a joint venture between AriyaDana Equities Sdn Bhd and Narayana Hrudayalaya Pvt. Ltd to upgrade the existing medical center Nilai as as the Narayana International Medical Centre. At the press conference after the event Mr. Seri told the reporters that Narayana Hrudayalaya Pvt. Ltd has conducted majority of successful surgeries upon children of ages between one to five years from 2008 till date. According to the director of AriyaDana Equities that hospital will start with 100 beds and will be gradually upgraded. He said that a dedicated team of heart surgeons will be joining the staff from Bangalore soon and the cost of heart surgery here will be at least up to 25% cheaper as compared to other heart hospitals in Malaysia. He further announced that more than RM250mil are allocated for the budget of hospital upgrade.

The tragic bus accident that took place in Genting Sempah claimed 7 lives while 39 were badly injured. It has come to the fore after investigation, carried on the order of Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha that the bus driver was driving without a license. He only had a learner’s license and was blacklisted in 1997 perhaps because of similar cases of reckless driving. Kong has expressed great concern over this incident and wants the bus operator to be taken into custody as the bus was actually a charter bus and was painted such that it could be used like a tour bus.

It was on this make shift tour bus that a group of teenagers from the 4B Youth Movement was heading out to Kuala Lampur from Genting Highlands. The teenagers actually resided in Baling and it was their first excursion trip ever to Kuala Lemur. When the accident took place, 6 people of that group were killed. The coordinator of the group at Genting Sampan , Mohd Shazwan Mohd Nor, who is only 16 years of age said that survivors had to save ther lives by crawling out of the broken bus windows which in itself was a dangerous task. He was deeply aggrieved that he could not even help his other friends in the bus. The victims remained trapped inside the bus and ultimately succumbed to injury. The injured were taken to Kuala Lampur Hospital where Shazwan related the incident to reporters. .another survivor, Mohd Zairul Hifazat, 13, said he was shaken from his sleep because of the mighty jerk to the bus as it hit a divider after speeding through a sharp bend. Since it was drizzling at that time, the bus skidded sharply, overturned and crashed to the road on the other side of the divider. Mohd. Hafiz, Zairul’s brother, got an arm and back injury as he was sitting at the rear end of the bus.

The name of passengers who have been admitted to the hospital are as follows: Muhammad Fais Nasharuddin, 18, Ahmad Iswal Abd Halim, 15, Mohd Shamsuri, 15, Mohd Ajril Azizi Azhari, 15, Mohd Akram, 19, Mohd Hafifi Yahya, 19, Mohd Safwan Md Moktar, 20, Hafizudin Onan, 16, Muhammad Syakur Sulaiman, 19, Faiz Syazwan Azlan, 18 and Mohd Azfar, 18.

The victims were visited by Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the Youth and Sports Minister. Upon his visit he consoled the victims and told the reporters that he was very concerned and perturbed over the incident and wanted a thorough investigation into the mater by the police so that the accused can be brought o justice as soon as possible. He also rendered condolence to the bereaved families of the victims and offered services to send back the bodies to Baling (hometown) for burial. Bentong MP and Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has also expressed grief over the tragic incident and emphasized the stern actions have to be implemented to ensure that bus drivers abide by the speed limit so that accidents are reduced.

It was decided to put up a taxi stand at Ipoh Central Market during a meeting of Ipoh City Council. The Bureau chief of Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints, Mr. Datuk Lee Kon Yin stated that the Ipoh City Council gave its consent to fix up the taxi stand there when he discussed the matter with Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim. He met the taxi drivers of Ipoh on 25th of October, 2010 and after that he talked to the reporters saying that:

“The matter just needs to go through the council’s parking and infrastructure standing committee,”

While commenting on the request of taxi drivers to provide ten parking lot spaces in the stand Mr. Lee said it is up to the committee to decide how many parking lots are to fixed there. He said:

“The number of lots will be determined by the committee later,”

Mr. Wong Ho, 68, speaking on the behalf of other taxi drivers told the reporters that they made their first request for the taxi stand about two years ago. He said that due to non-availability of a taxi stand at the market enforcement authorities do not let them wait there for their customers and they are stressed by them to hurry away. His exact words are:

“Without the stand, we are harassed by all enforcement agencies which bar us from waiting for customers near the market,”

Mr. Wong has been a taxi driver for a little over ten years at the place and during his duty he has been issued summons for about five times on charges of obstructing traffic. On commenting this he says:

“It has made our life difficult,”

Another taxi driver Mr. Chung Yeum Wai, 64, requested to the law and order authorities to go easy on them a little bit as they are just trying to meet both ends. He said:

“We just want to earn a living”.

This news reports the raising concern about the safety of women among general public and security departments in Malaysia because of the rising number of crimes against women. The deputy women, Senator Heng Seai Kie from Family & Community Development Ministry warns general women of Malaysia that they should not go easy on their security precautions and take the security for granted. She further added that after the murder of cosmetics magnate Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya it is more evident that women security is not to be taken for granted. Senator Heng said that women should not consider them safe even though they are with people because Sosilawati was also with other men but still she murdered. Senator attended a workshop on safety and said that no doubt police are liable to provide protection to the public but the women were always at risk especially when they were alone.

This was fully maintained by the women of Family & Community Development Ministry working under the programme of Child and Women Protection by Malaysian government. The deputy director of CID, Deputy Comm Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani was also there at the workshop and supported the statement of Senator by adding that providing protection to both children and women was always the precedence of the police department. He said that his department always watched out for both women and children, it’s their duty to do so. He further provided the details of the crimes victims, including both women and children in Malaysia from last two years. He said that from January of 2008 to the August of 2010 there were a total of 14,643 reported incidents in which either a woman or a child was a victim of sex crime. He further added that out of these reported incidents of sex crimes the victims of rape were around 9,461 (including both women and children).

The inhabitants of Klang are hoping to see the government start constructing the third bridge over the Klang River so that it could ease the motorists particularly, to smoothly move to and fro north and south Klang. They are expecting the government to keep its promise.

Although former works minister and the former Selangor Mentri Besar apparently vowed to start the construction project but now it hardly appears that such a huge project would be started off. Moreover many people are of the view that since the Barisan’s National lost in the previous election in Selangor, this project has been put aside. However, now the Selangor Mentri Besar is showing his trust in the federal government that it will definitely complete the pending construction project. He claims that their government has let the federal government know the importance of this third bridge and is hopeful regarding the federal government’s role.

Moreover, Klang Consumer Association chairman Devadass also proclaimed that this third bridge is a necessity as it will help in deflecting the traffic from the town. Plus it has been said that if in case the matter is overlooked now Malaysia will face worst traffic crisis in the coming years for which they need to be prepared.

According to Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung, the changes in the Moneylenders Act will now make sure that the unlicensed loan providers do not function smoothly here.

The preventive measure government took to save the general public from the loan sharks include heavy charges and punishment to those found guilty.

Moreover, he mentioned that even the licensed loan providers will also be facing check and balance in strict and hence efficacious way.

He explained that the alteration in the Act does not have any clause regarding the unauthorized loan providers publishing ads for promoting their business.

Moreover, all the authorized loan providers will need to show their license nearly every time.

However, one of the major issues highlighted by, Chong Chieng Jen (DAP – Bandar Kuching) while discussion of the amendments was that, a lot of police officials are also involved along with these loan sharks and therefore this issue should also be looked into. He said a couple of police officials get a percentage of the profit from the loan sharks.

At this point Khalid Abd Samad (PAS – Shah Alam) suggested that to repress the vicious plans of unauthorized loan providers, the banks need to provide a lot of micro-credit programs. But, unfortunately he maintained that banks do not seem to be interested in such programs.

PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai told that the Indomie noodles available in Malaysia, which can be prepared immediately or instantaneously, are completely healthy and are harmless to eat.

The ministry has checked around 30 indomie noodle packs out of 77 specimens for making sure if any of them contain hydroxyl benzoic acid methyl ester. However, they discovered through the test that none of them possessed such harmful preservatives.

Afterwards in order to assure the public he clearly mentioned that eating these indomie instant noodles will not cause any health hazard and can be used without worrying about health.
It all started from the report delivered by the Taipei Country Health Bureau which pointed out that these indomie noodles that are being imported from Indonesia contain hydroxyl benzoic acid methyl ester in soya sauce seasoning, an important constituent in indomie. But with the Health ministry’s statement all doubts have been cleared now.

IPOH: According to Perak Health Committee chairman, Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon all the erection areas which are proving to be mosquito propagating will be shortly shut down.

Moreover, Dr Mah mentioned that all the workers will be given notice to cease work there and they will be allowed only after the place is decontaminated.

He said that the rules should be stringent in such situation while talking in a meeting with the state health director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Ahmad Mahir and several other dignitaries. Furthermore he said that those seized guilty of propagating mosquitoes will be charged fine of about RM500 and in case they did not refrain from doing it they will have to bear brunt consequences in the court.

In addition, Dr Mah requested all the laborers and the developers working at various building areas to ensure cleanliness and take measures to keep those places sanitized.

He added that not even a single patient has been reported to be died of dengue this year and that the total number of deaths in the state did not rise from 5.

Moreover, he mentioned that the areas where the dengue cases have taken the toll are Batang Padang, Hulu Perak and Hilir Perak.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong mentioned that people should not indulge in presumptions related to the teacher who was reportedly involved in providing his students brochures on sex boosting drugs.

He said this in response to the various grievances of public regarding a meek action taken by the government for resolving this matter. He added that Johor Education Department has the power to make decisions on behalf of ministry.

While defending the State education departments’ action he said that they must have a reason for making this decision moreover, the strictness of action will depend on the ground of the proofs that have been collected.
This matter started with an FIR against that teacher by a businessman Ng Ching who found such brochures in his son’s books.

Reportedly the teacher had been involved in providing the students with various kinds of sex boosting things like dugs, gels and tablets.

After the filing of repot the teacher got posted to another school by the director of Johor education.

However, another Deputy Education minister condemned the action of the teacher and termed it unethical. Moreover, nearly every section of society displayed their discontent over the mere transfer of the teacher as they demand his rustication. But some of the high ups think that he should be given a second chance.